


In Vino Veritas

by Swordy



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Unrequited Crush, but not, sap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 22:38:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14482725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordy/pseuds/Swordy
Summary: Ignis likes Gladio a lot. When Gladio brings him wine, it’s just a gift to say thanks and he absolutely, definitely shouldnotread anything into it.





	In Vino Veritas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AtropaAzraelle (Polyoxyethylene)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyoxyethylene/gifts).



> Just a little ficlet for my good friend Atropa. Hope you enjoy it, hon! 
> 
> I can be found skulking around on tumblr @hellomynameisswordy

Ignis lets himself into his apartment, painfully aware of Gladio standing directly behind him as he fumbles with the key. For a moment he’s lost in the other man's scent - Gladio has showered recently so his shampoo and shower gel are more potent than usual and it’s distracting (pleasantly so) to say the least. Still, he gives himself a mental talking to, because it’s a little inappropriate to be having these thoughts whilst the man in question is standing _right here._

“Please, make yourself at home.”

Gladio is here because he’s got an hour to kill between Crownsguard meetings and it’s that or sitting in a cafe on his own. If he’s honest, he’s slightly surprised Gladio accepted his invitation. Gladio's a popular man, so he assumed he’d have had someone else to spend the time with rather than himself who is regrettably more of a work acquaintance than friend.

“Thanks,” Gladio says, looking around as he drops his gym bag beside the door. “Nice place.”

“Thank you.”

It’s only a small one bedroom apartment, but it’s got a nice view over the city and it’s enough space for him, especially considering how little time he spends here. He puts his briefcase on the small dining table and loosens his tie.

“I hope you don’t mind if I go and take a shower?”

“Hey no, you go for it.”

Ignis smiles and gestures to the kitchen. “Help yourself to anything if you want a drink or something to eat while I’m gone.” Gladio's already declined dinner - sadly - citing the limited time he can stay.

“Thanks, Iggy.”

Pleased, he colours slightly at Gladio's use of the nickname as he makes his way to the bathroom. He's never really had a nickname before - if he discounts Noct's use of ‘Specs’ from time to time - but the fact that it's Gladio who's given him the sobriquet makes it particularly nice.

Once he’s showered and changed, he returns to the living room to find Gladio sitting on his couch, looking for all the world like he belongs here. When he enters, Gladio looks up from the book he's reading and the smile he’s already wearing gets a little wider.

“Hey.”

Gladio doesn’t say anything else for a moment, then he grins. “Sorry... I was just thinkin' your hair looks good like that. You should wear it like that more often.”

Self-consciously he rakes the damp strands into something less disheveled-looking, destroying whatever Gladio has seen fit to compliment. Almost immediately he feels guilty for doing so.

“Thank you,” he says belatedly.

Gladio looks amused for a moment, then jumps up suddenly. He crosses the room to where he left his bag. “Oh, hey, I forgot I got you somethin', to say thanks for puttin' up with me.” Gladio rummages in the duffel and pulls out a bottle of wine. “Here.”

“Oh,” he exclaims, blindsided by the unexpected gift. “This is very kind of you, Gladio. You didn’t need to.”

“You’re welcome. We could open it now if you like?”

Gladio sits back down and rests one enormous tattooed arm along the back of the couch. He's grinning, his eyes bright in a way that makes Ignis's heart beat a little faster. Ignis looks away from that handsome face to study the label on the bottle, like there’s a fascinating insight into what’s inside, rather than just a pleasant watercolour image of a castle at sunset.

He looks up suddenly, aware he hasn’t responded to Gladio's suggestion. He can’t drink with Gladio. Not now and not here.

“Oh, ah, I’d love to, Gladio, but unfortunately there’s a chance I might have to drive later.”

There’s a flicker of disappointment in Gladio’s eyes, but he keeps smiling. “Okay, no problem. Next time then, huh?”

“Absolutely.” Ignis says, despite having no intention of it.

OoOoO

A week later the entire scenario is repeated. He accepts the gifted bottle of wine, but has to extricate himself again from actually opening it with Gladio there, despite the other man's clearly disappointed reaction. 

It’s not that he doesn’t want to drink with Gladio. _Not at all_. It’s just... well, the problems are twofold. Firstly, there’s his attraction to Gladio that he successfully keeps under wraps everywhere (except in the privacy of his own bedroom).

Then there’s the other problem, which feels a little ridiculous. It’s just... between his crown duties and serving Noct, he doesn’t spend a great deal of time in his own apartment and as result, he doesn’t necessarily own all the requisite equipment for entertaining guests. Wine glasses being one of them. Admittedly, as problems go, the latter is a fairly easy one to fix.

He just needs to buy some.

He absolutely _will_ buy some.

Only shopping requires time, and time is not one of the things he gets a lot of. So unfortunately he’s not actually got around to remedying the situation before Gladio is at his apartment once more, taking up too much space on his couch and looking utterly pleased with himself.

And gorgeous.

Let’s not forget that.

Unfortunately, Gladio has seen fit to repeat his act of generosity, and produces another bottle of wine. This time it’s an even more impressive vintage. Gladio mentions something about opening it and gets up to go find the corkscrew and it’s at this point that Ignis panics and jumps in front of the kitchen cupboards. Gladio freezes, but understandably he’s now looking at Ignis like he’s lost his mind.

“You hidin' a body in there or somethin', Iggy?” Gladio laughs, frowning slightly.

Joking has never really been his forte. Neither has lying. He sighs.

“I’m sorry, Gladio. The truth is... I can’t offer you the wine because I don't have anything suitable to put it in.”

He braves making eye contact to find Gladio looking at him strangely. Gladio then takes one look at the bottle in his hand, puts it down on the countertop, and wordlessly makes for the door. Before Ignis can stop him, he’s gone.

He drops into one of the chairs at his kitchen table and puts his head in his hands. All he wanted was to spend some time with Gladio, to cultivate a relationship between them even if it’s never anything more than a friendship. Six only knows what Gladio is thinking of him right now.

A few minutes pass. He turns and realises Gladio has left his bag, indicating that he’s coming back. Ignis wonders for a moment if having to face Gladio again is better or worse than him just leaving so abruptly.

Fifteen minutes later he's not so sure Gladio's coming back. Maybe he’ll come back for his bag tomorrow, or maybe he’ll text asking for it to be dropped off at the gym for him. Although he’s not actually done anything wrong here, Ignis can’t help but think he’s possibly made things a little awkward between them.

Certain now that Gladio isn’t coming back, the analytical, rational part of him prepares to embark on its closing speeches about Why This Is Probably For The Best. He should remain focused on his duties. He should forget about this preoccupation he has with Gladio. To those ends, how could he and Gladio even be friends when his heart desires more? He couldn’t bear Gladio to think he has pursued a friendship under false pretences, which is surely how he would see it if he knew Ignis's true feelings.

His attention is drawn from these gloomy musings by the sound of footfalls, growing louder as they approach. Obviously this answers his question about whether Gladio is actually coming back, but his pulse quickens at the prospect of what will happen next. There’s a sharp rap at the door and he slides from his seat to answer it.

As soon as the door is open, Gladio strides into his apartment, his expression focused like he’s in the middle of an important Crownsguard mission. In one hand he's holding a bag Ignis recognises as being from a department store four blocks from here. Gladio puts it down and delves into it, producing a box containing two crystal goblets. He holds them out for Ignis to take.

They’re beautiful.

“Gladio...” he says, looking from the box up to Gladio's face. “I can’t accept these.”

Gladio evidently decides to ignore his protest against the gift. “Why didn’t you tell me you didn’t have anything to drink wine from?”

“I do!” Ignis replies hotly, pushing at his glasses. “Well, I have one thing.”

“Really?”

He wilts in the face of Gladio's slightly withering stare.

“Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“Well... it’s a receptacle. And I drink wine out of it.”

“What kind of receptacle, Iggy?”

Ignis flushes, his ears feeling hot all of a sudden. “It's a mug?” he says, under his breath.

“Sorry, I missed that.”

“I said it’s a _mug_ ,” he repeats, perhaps a little more loudly than he’d intended.

Gladio stares at him for a moment, before he lets out a short bark of laughter. More follows and soon he’s hooting so loudly Ignis is certain his upstairs neighbours will start banging on the floor at any moment.

“I used to have some,” he replies indignantly, as Gladio starts to wipe tears from his face. “I had two, like these in fact, but they eventually both got smashed and I just never got around to replacing them. It’s not _that_ funny.”

“Are you kiddin' me?” Gladio retorts, “You’re like the most sophisticated person I know and you’re drinkin' wine out of a goddamned mug?”

Ignis tries to scowl, but his mind's still replaying that last sentence and his expression softens involuntarily. “You... think I’m sophisticated?”

“Sure I do,” Gladio replies, his merriment fading at last. His amused frown indicates he’s not sure why Ignis would even question that. “That’s why I bought you the wine; I wanted to impress you. You're an amazing guy, Iggy. I... I really like you.”

He tells himself it’s just Gladio's clumsy phrasing; that after all those days dreaming and those nights hoping, he's just reading too much into Gladio's words. Then Gladio steps into his personal space, obliterating any confusion about what's actually going on here.

“And I’d really like to kiss you,” Gladio says, and where there’s an attempt at confidence in his voice, his eyes tell a different story altogether. Ignis knows he’d be endeared if he wasn’t still reeling from how this discussion about his kitchenware - or lack of it - has led to what could possibly be the greatest moment of his life.

“Then I think that would be an agreeable course of action for the both of us,” he murmurs as he steps forward, closing what little distance is left between them. Gladio's relieved grin is the last thing he sees before he closes his eyes and experiences what it’s like to have a dream come true.

The kisses are gentle at first, but quickly grow into something more fevered as their tongues meet. And there is touching. The touching part is particularly nice. Gladio's hands are as skilled empty as they are with a weapon, and as they cup his face and rake through his hair Ignis can’t help but wonder what uses he can put them to in the future. When they mutually decide to come up for air, they both laugh breathlessly. Gladio’s eyes are bright and his cheeks are flushed and Ignis doesn’t doubt that he looks the same.

“Maybe we should open that wine,” he suggests.

Gladio rubs the back of his neck, grinning. “Yeah. Sounds like a plan.”

They work side by side at the countertop in silence, Ignis grabbing the corkscrew as Gladio unboxes the wine glasses and rinses them out. Once they’re clean and dried, and the wine is open Ignis fills them and hands one to Gladio, who swirls the burgundy carefully before waiting for Ignis to take up his own glass.

“To the start of... somethin' really special,” Gladio says, and there’s that hope in his expression again. His eyes are serious though. He knows Gladio well enough to know that if something is important to him, he’ll devote himself to it wholeheartedly. The knowledge makes him almost dizzy with anticipation.

Ignis smiles and nods. He’s always thought they could be really good together so he’s excited by the prospect of putting his hypotheses to the test. He brings their glasses together to complete the toast.

“I’ll drink to that.”

 

  
**End**


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